20 month old freaking out every time he pees in his diaper

[wishin'&hopin']

I've joked that DS will potty train some time before kindergarden--he's always been the baby who will poop and then proceed to sit in it happily for an hour or more if he's playing (we obviously change him the second we notice, he's never been obvious about pooping or peeing).  

Then, the past couple of days he's been having HUGE meltdowns every time his diaper is even a little bit wet (we use cloth).  He's not verbal yet, and the only reason we even think it might be diaper related is that he's grabbing at his crotch when he pees.  

So, today I had him sit on the potty after his morning nursies.  After he ate lunch.  After his nap.  After dinner.  He peed every time and pooped in the potty after his lunch (which is when he normally poops anyway).  

He's not telling us that he has to go...just freaking out that he's just gone.  What does this mean?  Does it mean we should get serious about potty training?  Does it mean that today was a fluke and that tomorrow he'll be back to his "normal"?  I don't want to push the issue, and truth be told, winter in Minnesota is a crappy time (pun kind of intended) to go pantsless.  I was imagining spending lots of time half naked outdoors this coming summer...so I'm not really feeling prepared for this!

How do those of you with pre-verbal toddlers approach potty training?

[cyclamen]

DD being mad about diapers was what got us potty training.  She was around that age.  Can you put something like baby legs on him?  It sounds like he probably likes the opportunity to sit on the potty and as long as it's not stressful for either of you, why not?  Do you have a little potty?

DD never really told me she had to go.  She went from peeing all over the floor, to being invited to potty with us when it seemed time, to running off to the potty herself.  The only time she really tells me is when we are out and needs help finding it.

[wishin'&hopin']

Thanks! We do have a couple of little potties, one upstairs and one down.  The problem this evening was that he didn't want to wear his diapers and didn't want to sit on the potty either!  Tomorrow I think I'll try baby legs, wool socks a sweater and no pants for the parts of the day we're home. LOL!  

This is just so unexpected...what did you do when you were out and about in the beginning phases?

[cyclamen]

Hmmm... I think we used diapers when out for a while, then started going diaperless, carrying potty, rags and changes, and avoiding places with carpet for a while, lol.  I used to put a prefold in the carseat underneath her.  DD actually does way better being out than at home.  When we are out, an accident is really rare.  At home I sometimes catch her peeing on the kitchen floor while cackling wildly.  Also, how are your DS's receptive language skills?  I found that if I reassured DD that we were looking for a bathroom and would find one soon, she was much more successful than if I didn't communicate that information to her.  Even when she was young enough that I was like, "No way can she understand this."  I still don't know how much she understood or if it was a coincidence, but it always seemed to help.

DD was fighting diapers at night for a while too.... but she also is not too keen on sitting on the potty before bed, so I insisted on dipes because I have a coin op w/d in the basement that never dries things all the way, and I hate having to wash bedding every morning.....  so she's still in night diapers.  Someday I suppose she won't need them anymore.  :)  Nothing has to be all the way, right?

[Aufilia]

Honestly, if my toddler was peeing and pooping, I'd take that and run with it.  Buy some trainers (we used the Gerber ones from Target), have some potty seat thing for out-and-about, pack spare clothes when you go out, and go for it.  (Or use diapers when out for awhile--but once he's achieved awareness of his need to go and the ability to go when he wants, I don't think you need them.)  There's no reason you need to wait nor likely any benefit to doing so as long as you can figure out a communication method.  You could use a sign for pottying--the one I've seen used is, I think, the ASL "p" hand being twisted back and forth.

I was just reading about "Three Day Potty Training" on some website and I know they advocate putting away the diapers and not looking back, and also claim their method works reliably on children before 28 months. 

[organicviolin]

sounds like potty time to me!

[wishin'&hopin']

Well, we are offering at our convenience because he's not telling us he has to go.  So, by offering post wake up/morning nursies, after breakfast, before his nap, after his nap, before dinner, after dinner and before bed...we have had three days where he has pooped in his potty and he's peed in his potty about nine times.  

So, is going when it is offered a sign of potty readiness?  Or is it merely a sign that we are offering a ton?  Have to say tho' he is certainly enjoying the oodles of books we are reading!  

[organicviolin]

Potty readiness definitely! :-) you are so luck!  My DS will be 3 in March and isn't as consistent as yours and has yet to poo in the potty.

[wishin'&hopin']

Well, we've got poop in the potty 4 days running!  Of course, we also have a poop in a diaper...and a poop tracked all over the floor when I was checking MDC this morning ;)

[wishin'&hopin']

Hmmm, on day 5 he started fighting going on the potty and wanted his diapers.  So, he's decided he's not ready.  Of course it was also the day we had decided to go ahead and buy training pants LOL!  

[sosurreal09]

Just follow his cues. DD started hardcore pottying at 18 m/o then declined and was in dipes full time another month or so then part time. At 24 m/o she started putting herself on the potty all the time (we went bottomless at home to make it easier for her) and now is 26 m/o and in undies FT! (we've had 4 accidents in 2 weeks but she's in undies 24hours a day) Just carry spare clothes with us.

I always offer way more than she asks. She just really started telling us verbally. I'm pregnant though and go more often than her at this point so I just take her with me and ask her to try and push and she gets a hooray for trying even if she doesn't go.

When she does go we do a little potty dance and song. I read somewhere they have to be bottom less for 3 months at home in order to really get it b/c at this age being naked is a reward in itself Worked well for us!

[wishin'&hopin']

Hmmm, I'm contemplating here.  DS indicated wanting to sit on potty (it was too late but he wanted to sit) and then wanted the training pants today.  I am wondering if pottying when it's just the two of us at home is easier for him b/c the excitement of having both parents and especially DW home, makes it harder for him to sit on the potty.  I also wonder if DW's anxiety around accidents on the floor makes him want his diapers on.  

Of course, I was the only one in charge when he pooped on the floor!